Chelsea vs Tottenham: Blues without Emi Martinez as Mike Penders set for derby start

Chelsea face Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, October 24, kick-off 5.30pm BST, with Emi Martinez out after jaw surgery and 21-year-old Mike Penders set to start in goal. Xabi Alonso's fourth-placed side meet a Spurs team lifted to 16th by Monday's 3-1 win over Coventry City.

  • Fixture: Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League
  • Venue: Stamford Bridge
  • Kick-off: 5.30pm BST, Saturday, October 24
  • Chelsea keeper: Emi Martinez out with jaw surgery; Mike Penders, 21, expected to start
  • Tottenham momentum: 3-1 win over Coventry moved De Zerbi's side from bottom to 16th
  • Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham

Why this London derby still matters

Neither club carries European football into this match. Both were in the Champions League last season and are now repairing damage from poor 2025/26 league campaigns. Chelsea have made the faster progress, while Tottenham are still working through the consequences of back-to-back 17th-place finishes.

Alonso has brought clarity, energy and results. Chelsea's 2-0 win away at Everton made them the first team to beat David Moyes' side this season, and it lifted them into fourth by the end of last weekend. There is more control, more threat and more confidence about them.

Tottenham's summer spending was meant to end their cycle of struggle, yet they went into Monday's game against Coventry rooted to the bottom of the table. The 3-1 victory finally arrived and moved Roberto De Zerbi's team up to 16th. It was relief — but not yet proof of a revival.

Injury and availability

Chelsea

Emi Martinez is out after jaw surgery following the collision at Everton, leaving Mike Penders, still only 21, set to start in goal. Reece James is out until around January after knee surgery. Jamie Gittens remains sidelined with the ankle issue suffered on England Under-21 duty.

Pep Chavarria is a doubt with a minor training injury, which opens the door for Jorrel Hato at left-back. Malo Gusto missed the Everton match through illness and is expected back in the squad. Emmanuel Emegha is unlikely to be involved after a setback.

Tottenham

Andy Robertson picked up a knock on Monday and is a doubt, with Ben Davies a possible replacement. Omar Marmoush and Tosin Adarabioyo came off against Coventry with calf issues, though De Zerbi has attempted to calm the noise around all three.

Lucas Bergvall is out with a knee injury and Savio has a muscle problem. Long-term absentees Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert remain unavailable. Rodrigo Bentancur is still suspended. Mykhailo Mudryk cannot face his parent club during his loan spell and is also struggling with an ankle injury.

There are possible returns. Pedro Porro is back in training after a hamstring injury and should make the squad. Destiny Udogie could return after missing the Coventry game with a knee problem. Dejan Kulusevski made his comeback against Coventry after 526 days out and may get more minutes here.

Selection notes

Chelsea's clearest change is in goal, where Penders replaces the injured Martinez for a proper test in a derby. James' absence until around January and Gittens' ankle problem remove two wide options, and Chavarria's training knock could hand Hato the left-back slot. Gusto's return offsets that loss of width on the right.

For Tottenham, Robertson's fitness is the main question, with Davies the ready-made alternative. The calf concerns over Marmoush and Adarabioyo complicate De Zerbi's planning, while Bentancur's suspension keeps him out of midfield. Porro, Udogie and Kulusevski offer a route back to something closer to a first-choice XI.

Key battles: Rogers and Palmer against a leaky Spurs back line

Two Chelsea attackers stand out. Morgan Rogers has six goal involvements in six games against Spurs — four goals and two assists. Cole Palmer has four in five league games against Tottenham — two goals and two assists. Between them this season they have eight goals and seven assists.

That is where this game could tilt decisively. Tottenham still concede chances, and there are still moments when the back line looks open and the midfield fails to protect it. Chelsea have the players to punish that quickly, and a young goalkeeper at the other end will need protecting too.

The numbers

  • 6 — Morgan Rogers' goal involvements in six games against Tottenham (4 goals, 2 assists)
  • 4 — Cole Palmer's goal involvements in five league games against Spurs (2 goals, 2 assists)
  • 8 goals, 7 assists — the combined Rogers and Palmer output this season
  • 526 days — Dejan Kulusevski's absence before his comeback against Coventry
  • 2-0 — Chelsea's win at Everton, the first defeat inflicted on David Moyes' side this season
  • 4th and 16th — Chelsea's and Tottenham's respective league positions after last weekend

Why Chelsea should edge it

Alonso has made Chelsea look organised and dangerous, and a 2-0 win at Everton underlines the control in their game. The risk is obvious: an inexperienced goalkeeper in a derby. But Chelsea's defensive structure should limit the number of clear chances Penders faces, and the attacking quality elsewhere is enough to carry the load.

Tottenham's route into the match runs through a more settled side. Porro and Udogie returning to full-back would restore width and solidity, and Kulusevski's return gives De Zerbi an option to change the shape. Monday's 3-1 win over Coventry will have lifted the mood, and a derby tends to make form less relevant.

The deciding factor is the gap in structure. Chelsea have a clearer shape and a manager whose ideas have already produced results this season. Tottenham's midfield protection and back-line cohesion remain the weak point, and Rogers and Palmer are precisely the players who expose that. A 2-1 Chelsea win reflects a game Spurs could make awkward for spells, without proving enough.

Talking points

  • Starting 21-year-old Mike Penders in a London derby is a bold call. Does it show faith in the young keeper or expose Chelsea in their biggest home game of the autumn?
  • Spurs have now lost two seasons in a row to 17th place, yet Monday's win over Coventry was their first real sign of life. Is De Zerbi actually turning it around, or was that just relief?
  • Rogers and Palmer have combined for six and four goal involvements against Tottenham respectively. Should De Zerbi's midfield sit deeper and break the game up rather than trade chances?
  • Chelsea sit fourth and Spurs 16th, but a derby levels form. Would a Spurs draw be a result for De Zerbi, or two points dropped for Alonso?

What happens next

Both clubs' next Premier League fixture comes after this Saturday 5.30pm kick-off at Stamford Bridge. For Chelsea, the immediate test is whether an under-strength back line and a young keeper hold together in a derby. For Tottenham, the question is whether Monday's win over Coventry becomes a platform or another isolated result. A Chelsea victory would strengthen their grip on fourth place and suggest Alonso's rebuild is ahead of schedule.

Frequently asked questions

What time does Chelsea vs Tottenham kick off?

The match kicks off at 5.30pm BST on Saturday, October 24 at Stamford Bridge.

Who is starting in goal for Chelsea against Tottenham?

Emi Martinez is out after jaw surgery following the collision at Everton, so 21-year-old Mike Penders is set to start.

Is Reece James playing for Chelsea against Tottenham?

No. Reece James is out until around January after knee surgery.

Filed under: Match Previews | LA Premier League Home